Spring suspension device for vehicles.



J. A. SHEARER.

SPRING SUSPENSION DEVICE FOR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 3,1914.

1,1 29,744. Patented Feb. 23, 1915.

I IC-J,

HE NORRIS PETERS 00.. PHOTO-Lima, WASHINGTON. D. C.

r'r A SPRING SUSPENSION DEVICE FOR VEHICLES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 23, 1915.

Original application filed March 12, 1913, Serial N 0. 753,725. Dividedand this application filed July 3, 1914. Serial No. 848,769.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN ALEXANDER SHEARER, blacksmith, a subject of theKing of Great Britain and Ireland, residing at Glen Osmond Road,Parkside, State of South Australia, Commonwealth of Australia, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improved Spring Suspension Device forVehicles, of which the following is a specification.

The application is a divisional application of that of my applicationSerial Number 7 53,725 filed 12th March 1913.

This invention relates to the suspension or mounting of the frame of amotor car or other vehicle or traveling machine upon its axles by meansof levers connected with each axle and pivoted to the frame and adaptedto be moved against the action of a spring or springs when said axlerises relatively to the frame or chassis so as to absorb the shock orjar caused by the passage over rough roads or over irregularities orobstacles; and the object of this invention is to provide an improvedconstruction of this nature which will more efficiently prevent thetransmission of shock or jar to the frame of the car, vehicle ormachine.

According to my present invention each end of the axle is attached tothe pivotally connected adjacent inner ends of two longitudinal andapproximately horizontal links, the outer end or ends of one or both ofwhich is or are pivotally connected to the frame of the car, vehicle ormachine by a lever and spring device which tends to keep the links asnearly as possible in a straight line and to restore them thereto afterdisplacement. There are two links, one in front and one behind, with alever and spring device at each end of each axle. As the wheel passesover an obstruction the axle rises relatively to the frame and carrieswith it the adjacent inner ends of the links, the outer ends of thelinks being drawn together horizontally in opposition to the pull of thespring device and without any direct lift of the frame.

In order that my invention may be the more clearly understood I willdescribe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings in whichFigures 1 and 2 are respectively side and.

plan views showing the front and rear axles having a suspension devicecommon to both.

Fig. 3 is a similar view to Fig. 1 but showing supplementary links toprevent any rocking of the axles.

As shown in the drawings each axle A is attached to the pivotallyconnected adjacent inner ends of two approximately horizontal links B B.The rear link B of the front axle and the front link B of the rear axleare pivotally attached direct to brackets E E secured to and projectingdownwardly from the frame, and the outer ends of the front link of thefront axle and of the rear link of the rear axle respectively arepivotally attached to the lower ends of two approximately verticallevers C 'C pivoted at about their centers to brackets E E, the upperends of the two levers being connected together by rods and a spring Dor set of springs tending to draw them together. In Fig. 1 the axles areshown attached by U bolts F to the underside of the links B close up totheir pivotally connected adjacent ends. In Fig. 3 are shownsupplementary links K pivotally attached to brackets E at the one endand to the axle clips H at the other to prevent the axles from rockingbackward or forward.

The brackets E E may be integral with the side bars of the car, vehicleor machine or they may be riveted or otherwise suitably secured thereto.The efi'ect of this method of suspension is that the wheels and theaxle, in passing over an obstruction or any unevenness in the road, areable to move up and down without transmitting any concussion or jar tothe frame. The axle A and the adjacent inner ends of the links B B moveupward, the outer ends of the links move horizontally inward rocking thelevers C C on-their pivots and distorting the spring D practicallywithout lifting the levers vertically and consequently without liftingthe frame. The spring in recovering from its distortion restores thelevers to their vertical position and the links to their horizontalposition.

Having now fully described and ascertained my said invention and themanner in which it is to be performed I declare that what I claim is 1.An improved suspension device for vehicles having two axles comprising,near each end of each axle, two longitudinal and approximatelyhorizontal links, the adjacent inner ends of which are pivotallyconnected together and to the axle, and the outer ends of the rear linkof the front axle and of the front link of the rear axle being pivotallyattached to brackets secured to and projecting downward from the frameof the vehicle, the outer ends of the front link of the front axle andof the rear link of the rear axle being pivotally attached to the lowerends of two approximately vertical levers pivoted at about their centersto other brackets secured to and depending downward from the frame, andthe upper ends of the two levers being connected together by a spring orsprings tending to maintain the four links in a horizontal position.

2. An improved suspension device for vehicles having two axlescomprising, near each end of each axle, two longitudinal andapproximately horizontal links, the adjacent inner ends of which arepivotally connected together and to the axle, and the outer ends of therear link of the front axle and of the front link of the rear axle beingpivotally attached to brackets secured to and proj ecting downward fromthe frame of the vehicle. the outer ends of the front link of the frontaxle and of the rear link of the rear axle being pivotally attached tothe lower ends of two approximately vertical levers pivoted at abouttheir centers to other brackets secured to and depending downward fromthe frame, and the upper ends of the two levers being connected togetherby a spring or springs tending to maintain the four links in ahorizontal position, and two additional links arranged parallel with andover the rear link of the front axle and the front link of the rear axlerespectively connecting the front and rear axles with the brackets towhich the said rear and front links are connected.

3. In a vehicle, a frame, front and rear axles, a pair of links adjacentto each'axle, the links of a pair being oppositely connected at adjacentends with each other and with the adjacent axle, and extendingrespectively forwardly and rearwardly from the axle, the outer end ofthe rear link of the front axle and the outer end of the front link ofthe rear axle being pivotally'secured to members of said frame, a leverfulcrumed between its ends on the frame adjacent to each axle, the outerend of the front link of the front axle being pivotally connected to oneend of one of said levers, and the outer end of the rear link of therear axle being pivotally connected with one end of the other of saidlevers, and a resilient connection between the opposite ends of saidlevers.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed myname in the presence of two subscribing witnesses this twenty-sixth dayof May 1914:.

JOHN ALEXANDER SHEARER.

-Witnesses:

ARTHUR GORE CoLLIsoN, LIONEL CLIFTON PASH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

